Decision day

Effingham County Board of Elections and Registration clerk Charlotte Conner verifies Doug and Vivian Jarman’s information before they cast their ballots Friday on the final day of early voting for the Georgia primary. Polls will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Polls will be open until 7 p.m. Tuesday as Effingham County voters decide three county commission races and one school board race.

District 2 commission incumbent Vera Jones faces challenger and former commission chairman Dusty Zeigler. District 3 incumbent Steve Mason is opposed by Jamie Deloach, and District 5 incumbent Phil Kieffer is challenged by former county administrator David Crawley. All three contests are part of the Republican primary and there is no Democratic opposition for the seats.

Four people are running for the non-partisan District 4 school board seat to replace Mose Mock, who stepped down earlier this year. The candidates are Beth Helmly, Faith Jaudon, Ben Johnson and Amanda Phillips.

More than 1,000 Effingham voters have cast their ballot already, with 966 taking advantage of early voting and another 76 submitting absentee ballots. Early voting ended Friday.

There also are several statewide and federal races, including contested campaigns in the U.S. House 1st District and for governor.The Democratic Party has five local questions on the ballot, and the statewide organization has four questions.

On the local ballot are:1. The state and the county have made substantial cuts in library funding. Do you agree that the county should improve funding of our libraries so the operating hours of the libraries can be expanded to provide greater access to their facilities, books, computers, and special programs?2. Currently, the county commission chair is allowed to vote only when there is a tie among the remaining commissioners. Do you agree our elected county commission chair should be given the right to vote at all times?3. Since our county commission chair is not allowed to vote and we are paying this elected official, do you agree we should eliminate this position on the county commission? 4. Do you favor being allowed to purchase electricity from a competing energy provider?5. Do you favor allowing elected officials who have outstanding ethics fines to re-run for office?

Questions on the statewide Democratic ballot are:1. Should Georgia raise the state minimum wage above the current $5.15 an hour?2. Should Georgians’ federal tax dollars be returned to Georgia to fund Medicaid expansion and relieve the indigent-care burden on our hospitals?3. Should the Constitution of Georgia be amended to create an independent ethics commission, not tied to the governor’s office, legislature or other elected office, to more effectively police potential ethics violations by elected officials?4. Should the Constitution of Georgia be amended to make the education budget Georgia’s first funding priority?

Voters have to declare if they are voting in the Republican or Democratic primary and cannot vote in both primaries.

Headed to the pollsPolls will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

More information on what voters need to bring to the polls and on where they can vote can be found at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov.